House prices are rising everywhere – but when you have stunning views and the sea on your doorstep rolled up in a location regularly cited as one of the nicest places in Cornwall, second home ownership comes into play.

New figures, compiled by estate agency Hamptons International for The Telegraph, showed that nearly one in ten houses bought in Cornwall last year were as second homes.

Cawsand is a renowned smuggling village with a great selection of pubs (Image: Penny Cross)

In a bid to keep housing for locals and young people, community cooperative The Peninsula Trust is planning to purchase and restore The Old Ship through donations, a community share offer and grant funding.

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On October 5 2013, a huge fire ripped through the derelict pub on Garrett Street and since then it has been an empty shell.

For locals it's remembered as a popular pub that used to thrive – and it has an amazing history.

The Old Ship after the fire

The Peninsula Trust hopes to restore the grade II listed building, which would house a cafe, children’s area and heritage centre as well as five flats for local people.

It has been talking to and working with young people for some years, aiming to find out about their real needs and the factors that might be holding them back.

Time and again, the conversations and discussions focus on one main theme – the incredible difficulty of finding a place to live.

The front of The Old Ship Inn (Image: Rozz Baker)

Joe Chapman, who grew up on the Rame Peninsula, spoke at the parade event about the struggles he and other young people have with finding somewhere affordable and stable to live.

The 28-year-old, who rents a property with his partner Jenny, said: “After being lucky enough to find a private let in Millbrook, it has become apparent six months in that me and my partner can not sustain the rental costs without help of a lodger. Even then, it is a struggle.

“We have resorted to moving into a container in a boatyard as soon as our contracted tenancy is up. This is not ideal, but will do for now.

The housing parade last Friday to save The Old Ship Inn

“It’s either that or go and stay with parents – nobody wants that at 28.

“I hope that in a few years time, when we are fed up of living in a tiny metal box, there will be affordable alternatives for people like us. And we might even be able to afford to live in Kingsand/Cawsand - the villages where we both grew up.”

Ross Edwards is a successful self-employed electrician who grew up in Cawsand but had to move away to find a home he could afford with his new family.

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“All my friends and family are back here, but there’s just no way we could stay,” said Ross.

“We’ve bought a place 20 miles away, so now our children will go to school there and my own community will lose out. It’s a shame and I think something should be done.”

Ross and Robyn Edwards with their daughter

The proposal for The Old Ship Inn in Cawsand is ambitious, requiring “at least” £1.4 million to complete – but the campaigners say they are heartened by massive community support, extending to direct individual investment.

People can put their own money in via a community shares offer – the initial target is £150,000, which will be matched from charitable finance – enough to buy the site and start the work.

At the parade event last Friday, young people spoke of their worries and information was shared about the plan and how it could help keep people ingrained in their community.

According to Rightmove, the overall average house price in Cawsand is £277,900 and what’s more shocking is that in Kingsand, next door, it’s £519,357.

Joe Turner, a self-employed boat builder, has moved from pillar to post to stay local, and has mostly had to share properties or bedsits with others to afford the rent.

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“Families and individuals have to resort to living in temporary accommodation, moving more than twice in one year as secure rentals are so hard to come by.

“People are having to move away from the area they grew up in as wages are low and housing is so expensive and just not available.

Local young people are backing the community project to save The Old Ship Inn

“Young people are wanting to return to the area after leaving to study, but there just aren't any affordable rents available, so they are being forced away from the area where their friends and support networks are.

“I grew up in Cawsand with a big group of friends, all of us have now left the village as we just can’t afford it - and the rentals are mostly short-term or expensive holiday lets.

“It’s a shame to see the demographic of the village changing – it would be a disaster if that happened in neighbouring villages too.

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Cllr Trubody said: “I am really pleased that the event was so successful and that it has helped to highlight the struggle and need to keep young people who want to live in Kingsand and Cawsand.

“To save The Old Ship Inn is very important to me and I am doing everything I can to assist in making it happen. We only have until May 10 to secure the money through the community share offer. If anyone would like to invest and help make this project happen, please visit The Peninsula Trust to make an investment. Time is running out.

Cllr George Trubody

“If this happens, then it will be ground-breaking for the community, as it will see the first socially affordable housing in the village for nearly 50 years.

“It might not solve all the housing problems for young people in the village overnight, but it is a start.”

For those interested in shares to save The Old Ship Inn, the trust aims to pay a “reasonable interest rate” to its members, with the current business plan assuming they will be able to pay 3% interest.

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The trust has also been given approval from HM Revenues and Customs that the shares in The Old Ship Inn are eligible for tax relief under the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and the Social Investment Tax Relief scheme (EIS).